Early Childhood Learning

The Morah Frances Stahl Early Childhood Program at the Al & Rose Nyman Preschool Center

The primary aim of the preschool department is to establish and reinforce a positive self-image for each child. The children are made to feel proud of their accomplishments and to learn in a loving atmosphere under the direction of highly experienced professionals. The teachers gently guide the children through the most important formative school years, nurturing skills in the areas of cognitive, language, physical, social, and emotional development.

Art, music, listening, and play activities reflect the Yeshiva's emphasis on love of Torah and proper ethical behavior. Teachers dedicated to an intensive Jewish life teach holidays, mitzvot, weekly Torah portions, stories of Jewish sages, tefillot, and brachot.

RYNJ is a participant in Hebrew In America, sponsored by Jewish Educational Services of the UJA Federation of Northern New Jersey. This program teaches the children to combine a rich vocabulary of verbs, nouns, and prepositions to naturally speak and respond in Hebrew.

The preschool program includes reading and number readiness experiences in both Hebrew and English that prepare the child for the first grade. Most importantly, the children learn to relate to peers, adults, and themselves in a positive Torah manner.

Torah Education And Young Children

B'nai Yisrael were commanded to gather in Jerusalem every seven years to fulfill the mitzvah of Hakhael, in which the King would read publicly passages in Sefer D'varim. The entire Jewish nation was required to appear as the Torah specifies: 'The men, the women, and the taf (very young children).' Why were the little children required to be present at this magnificent event, when they certainly were too young to comprehend what was occurring?

The Gemara Chagiga states that young children were brought in order to grant a reward (s'char mitzvah) to their parents who brought them. According to the Ramban, however, the taf were brought because, by hearing Torah and witnessing the great religious experience of Hakhael, the children would gain a love of Torah and mitzvot. Such an experience would help guarantee shmirat ha'mitzvot and yirat shamayim when the child would reach the age of formal learning.

This approach provides us with a profound insight into early childhood education. Experiences early in life, even before traditional starting points of education, have an everlasting effect upon a child's neshama. Chinuch should never be viewed only as an academic exercise consisting of curriculum and knowledgeable teachers. Rather, in addition to academia, chinuch must address the very soul of the child. Children must be provided with role models who are capable of nurturing a child's religious essence. A love and respect for Torah only can be conveyed by teachers who are living embodiments of Judaism. At RYNJ, it is our goal to incorporate into our curriculum and extra-curricular activities this ability to touch the young hearts of our children with a beautiful and sincere Judaism.